How food banks help Americans who have trouble getting enough to eat
, nonprofits that collect and distribute food to hunger relief organizations, have played an essential role in the distribution of emergency food relief throughout the United States for more than 50 years.
They have been more visible than ever before during the pandemic, with many organizing large drive-through pantries, where people line up in vehicles to receive boxes of food from mask-clad staff and volunteers.
This uptick in demand for their services is happening as an estimated 1 in 6 adults and 1 in 4 children are experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic—rates that are about the coronavirus outbreak.
Food banks are getting a that and huge donations from some of the richest Americans. But, based on our , we're concerned that they still need more support to help everyone who can't get enough to eat.
An innovation from the 1960s
, a devout Catholic who was deeply , created what is widely considered to be the first food bank to efficiently distribute unmarketable food to people who otherwise might not get enough to eat when he opened the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1967. Van Hengel went on to establish a national umbrella group of food banks and food pantries initially called Second Harvest, which was later renamed .
Today, it's the nation's largest hunger relief organization, with a network of . Food banks collect food through local and national partnerships and distribute it to people facing economic hardship.
Historically, food banks collected surplus food from suppliers and distributors. Unfortunately, this also included nutritionally .
St. Mary's Food Bank, the world's first food bank, started in 1967. Today we're one of the largest food banks in the United States!
Take a video tour inside the world's first Food Bank!
— St. Mary's Food Bank (@StMarysFoodBank)
In recent years, food banks embrace have helped ensure that food pantries regularly distribute healthier food, including , in addition to shelf-stable items like canned soup and beans or bags of dried pasta.
In 2001, 2.8% of U.S. households at least once. By 2014, that share had doubled to 5.5%. The is directly related to the of 2008 and 2009, the sharp economic downturn spurred by a mortgage and financial crisis.
The Great Recession not only . It marked the first time that food insecurity rates exceeded poverty rates.
This indicates that more middle-class Americans are now struggling with food security—a problem that appears to be deepening today.
Unable to help everyone who needs a hand
U.S. food banks provided the equivalent of 4.2 billion meals between March and November 2020. At least 80% of them are supporting .
Many are relying on them now. For example, 4 in 10 people visiting food banks between March and June 2020 were first-time users, a number that will likely climb before the COVID-19 pandemic subsides and the economy improves.
While food banks have made progress on the task of feeding the millions of Americans who struggle to get enough to eat, they will fall short by an estimated , leaving many people food-insecure.
Other efforts to address food insecurity
Aside from the establishment of large food pantries, there are other efforts underway to help the massive growth in U.S. food insecurity.
These include scaled-up , , and apps that help people make the most of the sometimes unfamiliar produce they may get from food pantries with recipes and cooking tips.
A growing number of food banks are partnering with social service and health care providers, insurance companies, universities and businesses to provide an array of support for people who are experiencing food insecurity.
This includes and helping them as well as , , and .
Given that food insecurity is rooted in social, economic and political inequities, we believe that these multi-pronged approaches are essential for alleviating hunger in America.
Provided by The Conversation
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